Hike #486; Bearfort Ridge/Wawayanda

 Hike #486 5/22/10

5/22/10 Bearfort Ridge/Wawayanda with Jillane Becker

For this next hike, just Jillane and I would do a section of one of my favorite trails in NJ, along the Bearfort Ridge. We'd originally intended to do a loop but ran out of some time.

We started at Bearfort Waters parking area on Clinton Road near West Milford and followed the Terrace Pond Trail north to it's namesake body of water. There was a bit of new trail work on the section leading up to it. Neither of us really felt like swimming yet so we ascended further onto the Terrace Pond North Trail, getting into the more secluded section of the parklands.

Terrace Pond North was always a narrower trail, very tight in with the underbrush. I was totally surprised to see another group of hikers come through on this section. My plan was to bring Jillane to a place where we were pretty certain not to see any other hikes, and of course we didn't for the entire rest of the section.

The trail took us over outcroppings and such, then onto the gas pipeline. I believe on this trip the new trail section was finally blazed and opened. Previous trips we were only following flagging.

We passed some nice view points, then descended to Hamburg Turnpike, and again ascended steeply on the other side up Bearfort Ridge Trail. This section was also very nice and secluded. I think the blueberries may have been starting to come out. Either way, Jillane nearly stepped on a giant rattle snake, an old one.

Jillane almost stepped on this Timber Rattlesnake on the Bearfort Ridge!

We continued on, passed the giant clefted rock and over lots of expose puddingstone to the terminus with Ernest Walter Trail. We turned right on this down hill steeply over the exposed rocks, then ascended with some hand holds and such, through the thick laurel grove and to Surprise Lake. I always loves Surprise Lake and had wanted to bring her there forever. I swam all the way across and back, and while I was out there Jillane warned my of a giant snapping turtle lurking around the shore. I got back out, and indeed this thing was a giant. I opted not to go back in bacause he just swam back and forth checking us out along the shore. Jillane got in a bit, but there was some guy I think with his dog hanging around the area. It was the only time I'd ever seen another person at Surprise Lake.

We continued from here out to the incredible puddiongstone outcroppings with views over Greenwood Lake. I think the Ernest Walter Trail views rival those of the Bellvale Ridge views along the AT just a bit further north.

We continued along the ridge heading north to the terminus with State Line Trail.

We took State Line Trail up hill to the AT, and continued on that southbound, which was more west at this point.

It was getting late too quick and we had a long way to go. When we were into Wawayanda State Park we headed to the park office to find a water fountain. We were so thirsty. I can't remember if we managed to get some or not there. The sky was looking bad like it was going to rain possibly too, and it was getting darker. I was going to leave Jillane along the road and run back to the cars. We walked out the entrance road to Wawayanda and then right on Warwick Turnpike. We continued walking on that and then made the right turn onto Clinton Road. Along Warwick Turnpike we'd talked to a guy asking how far it was to Clinton, and he told us we had a ways. After a while of walking, he must have felt bad, and he drove us back to the cars at Bearfort Waters! We were so thankful for this ride, and when the hike was done we were even closer.